Electric switch.



A. A. TIRRILL.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED 0cT.2a...|9os.

Pateted .fune 15, 19155.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 i :T o .all @kof/nit may concerni- .Be it known that 'L agieaefea ALLEN' rrnnrnnor sennnncrnnr, .NEWYQRK i ELECTRIC v.application `tiled October 2S,

' citizen. Q'f the AUnited 'Sta-tes, 'residing at 1j' Schenectadyyin the county of Schenectady 'i and State of New York,

have' invented 'certain new and useful Improve-ments .Elec-1 tricv Switches specification,

of which the fo1lo `.wii 1g l Ais a reference.' being had .therein -t'of i .the accompanying. drawing. .10.

. i' switches of am;

my U. S. Letters Thfsfinvention rel to improvements in electric switches, and more particularly Snap general type disclosed vin Patents Nos. S19-,821 and 819,822@ May-8', 190e. y

Primarily; the switch` ofthe present in- 'adapted to be' manipulated in [other respects vand' places .rendering .of f th'e` sameV .more ient in op- (eration, and .the reduction'of the expense of manufaeturg- `The novel Adetails-.inthe construction and '30 i keepingwith the inventionwill 'be-apparent' ,l .from the detailed' description hereinafter f contained, when read in connection withithethe operating. mechanism of the switch,. the

arrangementfof partsof a structure'madein accompanying drawings forming.part hereofandzwherein `a convenient' embodiment .ofthe .inventionisillustrated. It is to be' "understood, however, that. .the invention is 'I 'not tobe restricted tothef'sp'eciic embodiyIn'the drawings, .5, tive view of thecomplete'devlce as secured. -4'5 throlgh the insulated lbase'andcap or cover,

.ment disclosed herein, because,as will be ob vious, otherembodi1 nents may/ ghe resorted to without in the least .departmg lfrom the' spirit 'of the invention;

Fignre'l 1s a persino-gy to a ceiling; Fig? 2 .is a. sectional :viewl I the operating mechanism being shown in end .elevation ywith the rear rotatable. switch.'

l I' the insulating lining-Within .the nietallic' coverg Fig. 3' is 'asideele-vation of the `op.-

knife lor blade Vin linactive 'position; 2- is an enlarged fragmentary 'sectional 'view of the cap showing' vthe manner of securing.

erating mechanism '(th'e cover being ref' moved) looking from the.r1ght. of--F1g. 2;;

.the insiilationfor the is a viewslmilar t Fig. 'with the side in-y ating cord or chain,

to .the base 4'C and 'form'ashoulder tor4 the receptionof awasher I10o nshaftfare mounted- SWITCH;

Seamenfeeefsfeee i PatenteeJune15,-ie15.

ieee. senai'nasaaaae.

4an enlargedlongitudinal section' of.. the operating-mechanism, ig. '6 lis a face view ofv one of the 4switch knives or blades showing sides thereof. Fig. '7 60 Slllation. removed` to show-the interior i sulating member of .the blade nool'lnting;` of the device F 1g".` -8 Ais av transverse section taken on the line .8f-.8, Fig. '5, looking' in the .65

direction 'of the arrow; Fig. 9 is also atransversesectiontaken on= the line ,9- 9 of Fig. 5,

looking the 'direction 'of the arrow Fig.

-10 is'still lanother transverse sectional. view en than@ 1o-1o of Fig. 5, iookingin the 70.-

*direction of .the arrow.; Fig. `1l isa detail perspective view of one vof'the''springcontact'devices; Fig. 12 1s a'perspective'view of one' of the combinedcontact supports and wire"fterminal securing devices ;v Fig. 13 is a 7 5 'detail perspective view showing thedetachable'securmg 'device at the v'end vvof the oper- Fig. 14 is-a fragnentary peripheral" view. of the rotatablegfifgiheave ing'the cord'securlng device thereto and in dottedlines the operating position which the -showingin full lines 'the' manner off'ttach- 8o.

sameassnmeg .al'ldgF ig. 15 isa detail View. 1

0f the.' Dyoted detent.V lieferung'. H IOI'B' Specifically. 'to the. draw- .lugs wherein 11k@ reference charactersdesig' ,.nate. corresponding-*parts in the several;

views, Ai represents the ordinary ceiling `to which mys'witch is usuallysecured through A passing through a v9o porcelain onother s uitable'base-C of insulat# ing material. Secured bvfmeans 'of screws d i. "l

y 4suitably spaced apart are brackets D conveniently formed of sheet metal and aperturedas fatal for the ac- 95M commodation of a switch, blade fcarrying shaft E. The end portions ofthe shaft .are

of angular cross Section5 represented at` e to i@ e", the eXtreme' ends. lbein-g groovcd as at e2 F.,1 the/Washer being -fastened in Vplace by. pinching the ends thereof together as shown in Fig'Q. Intermediate the' shoulders e land the washers F --at the opposite'ends of the referred to.. It. isy-desirable that .these/i l switches be-insulated 'froml the shaft 2E,l and-. `tothat end .the interior of 'the'.former are formedhollow, 'as at 'g'for'the-reception of 11o an vinsulating'- member fg immediately sur- 1 rounding'the s haft Atthe opposite sides of a pair of switch bladesG, loe themountin'g'o'f which. y-willbeV hereinafterv i if ...Hamaf 'the insulating member g and of a size greater than said member whereby to lap over the saine and to some extent overlie the opposite surfaces of the blades G are other insulating members g2, the whole being secured togetherl by means of rivets ZL passing idly clamped in position by the opposite msulating members g? and plates H. As illustrated, each blade has oppositely disposed oiitwardly extending contact extensions adapted to enter between and engage separated spring contacts I, fit being observed that the space between'the shoulder e on the shaft and the washer F is greater than4 the combined width of the switch blade and its mounting, whereby the latter may have a substantial freedom of movement to enable the same to be bodily shiftedautomatically,

or be self-adjusting,.to, allow for any possible disalinement of opposite pairs of spring contacts and to insure each blade extension having engagement on its opposite surfaces with both branches or armsof its spring contact device. The spring contacts just re-` ferred to are conveniently formed of spring metal, the branches I being arranged parallol with their ends flared somewhat to facili- `tate the entrance of the blade gtherebetween, the branches being conncted4 by bowed spring portions z' and securedrin place through the medium of struck-1n flanges z adapted to embrace an upright K to which latter the same is secured by means of a' rivet 2 passing'through the ianges z" and said upright. Of course in some instances the blade may be' double and flexible and the contact device single, which would constitute a mechanically reverse arrangement to that shown and described herein.

The upright K in turn is provided with a securing base portion 7c secured to the porcelain base C by screws 7c passing through apertures 702 therein. A large opening k3 is provided in the base 7c `for the reception of a binding screw le" adjoining a pair of struck up lugs 0"" around which and beneath the head of the screw the Wire terminals (not necessary to herein show) passing through openings c in the base C, are secured. ln order to permit the uprights K to occupy the least possible space whereby to lessen the size of the area required to accommodate the entire device, said uprights are'offset inwardly intermediate the ends of the same, as at 76.

The means for effecting the quick or snap actionof the switch will now be deiin'ed. `Mounted loosely uponthe shaft E is a sheave L carrying a bushing Z projecting axially thereof and surrounding the shaft. rEhe sneave is conveniently formed of sheet metal havin a Orooved flanO'e Z to uide an 06erupright D.

ating pull cord orchain L', the latter being secured to the sheave by means of a slotted flange Z2 on the sheave in which enters an offset T-head ZS clamped to the end of the cord L through the medium of a compressed and indented'ferrule Z4. The, insertion of 'he head in the slotted flange is clearly shown in full lines, Fig. 14, and its secured. or operating position at right angles thereto in dotted lines in the same ligure. This arrangement aifords a simple and eflicient detachable connection between the operating cord or chain and the sheave. The sheave also has a projecting lug Z5 adapted to contact notched portions Z3 in one of the uprights D to limit the rotation of the sheave in either direction. The sheave further has a struck up outwardly arched hook ZG for confining the cord L in the groove'diportion `Z thereof.

The sheave normally occupies the position shown in Fig; 5 with the stop lu@ Z5 in engagement with the lower end ofthe upright D, this position being maintained by means of a spring M secured at one end m to the` upright D, and at itsopposite end on" abutting an offset tail-piece m2 of a pawl M" presently to be described, arranged at the opposite side of the sheave and pivoted thereto, as at m3. The pawl M engages a ratchet disk' N also loose upon the shaft and the function of the spring M. is not only to hold the sheave in the position shown in Fi 5 and to return the same to such position when movedtherefrom as will hereinafter appear, but also incident to the engagement of the spring at m', m2 to retain. the paw] M normally in engagement with a tooth of the ratchet -disk N.

What l will term the motor spring is shown at 0 engaged at one end 0 with the ratchet disk N and at its other end against with one of the Vstop shoulders q of a fixed disk Q, secured by pins qto the adjacent Normally the detent is retained in engagement with the shoulder q just referred to by means of a cam plate R through the. slot fr of which a lug p offset from the detent P projects, the cam plate in turn being heldl against excessive movement in either direction by means Vof shoulders r 'adapted to abut the offset lug 29 of the vdetent carrier before referred to.

T he operation of the mechanism thus far described may now be' followed. Assum! ing the parts to be in a position indicated by' the several views of they drawings, and

it being desired to close any of a given numberl of circuits dependent upon the wiring of the base members Za of the spring contact supports K, it will simply be necessary to agi;

mentioned insulating member and the op# positefaces of the metal switch blade, and

.clamping means passing through said in.

sulating plates and the interposed insulating.

member, 'said tclamping means being positioned within the Vopening in the central lportion ofthe metallic switch blade.

2. An electrical switch comprising a shaft,

. a stationary ratchet having teeth and adary position, and means for 4actuating the 'jacent'. recesses, a pawl carried bythe shaft, a cam that moves the pawl into and out of engagement with the teeth of the' ratchet and'I also into and out of the -recesses therein, topermit of the shaft being advanced hand stopped vand to positively loclr itin stationcam land the shaft v 3. An electrical switch comprising a shaft,

va stationaryV ratchet having teeth and adf jacent recesses, apawl carriedby the shaft having an extension, a member loosely mounted on the'shaft' having a 'cani slot to receive the pawl extension, the said-member servingto move the'pawl into and out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 'andalso into and out of the recesses therein, to'perm'it of the shaft being advanced and 1stopped and to positively lock it in staab tionary position, means for actuating the cam, 'and resilient means for 'actuating lthe a switch of the character described, a base, a plurality of laterallyspaced contactsfsupported bysaid base, a shaft supported by said 'base and positioned in a plane parallel to the plane of thebase, said l :shaft being provided at separated points withsquared portions, and a pair of switch i 4' blades' loo ely mounted on the squared portions of said-shaft, so as to rotate with said shaft to cooperate with said contacts, the

squared portions Vof the shaft being of a length to permit each'of said blades to move f 4-5 independently of the other longitudinally 'of the shaft. v 4

j v5. `In a rotary switch of the character de- .scribedfa base, a plurality.v of contact de- 'vices carried thereby, the contact surfaces i of said contacts being perpendicular to the plane of the base, a' transversely disposed I shaft carried by said base, switch blades cai'- ried by said shaft and positioned in planesA at right angles to the longitudinal .axis thereof, csaid switch blades 'being yadapted V`to' coperatewith the contactfdev-ices carried bythe base upon rotation of theshaft,

and means for imparting a stepby step r'o`v tation to said shaft, said means including a vsheave mounted thereon and a pull cord del pending fromv said sheave. v

16. In a lswitch of the characterdescribed, -contact devices and means for operating the same, including a shaft, a rotatable ysheave, a

. ratchet wheel, a pawl carried by said -sheave 55 1. and adapted tocoperate with said ratchet wheel, and aspring for shifting said sheave and for holding said pawl in engagement with its ratchet wheel.

7. Ina switch, a base, a pair of laterally spaced Contact. members. carried by said base, a rotatable shaft supported by said base, a pair of laterally separated'switeh -blades on said shaft, each of said blades being rotatable withthev'shaft and being fiee- .to move for a limited distance longitudiv nally of said shaft, and each of said blades beingadapted to coperate with one of the contacts carried by the base, and meansmounted directly on the shaft between the switch blades 'carried thereby. for imparting a step by step rotation tothe shaft.

8. In a switch,a base, contacts carried-v thereby, arotatable shaft supported by said base,'switch blades carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, a sheave loosely mounted on said shaft, means for actuatingy said sheave, means tending to return the slieave to. normal position when actuated, 'a ratchet .wheel loosely mounted on said shaft at one side of said sheave, a pawl carried by said sheave and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, aV detent vcarrier fixedly secured to said shaft, a movable detent secured to said detent carrier and normally engaging a fixed member to prevent movement of said `detent.

carrier andsaid shaft in either direction, a motor spring connecting said ratchet wheel and detent carrier, and means for releasing said detentafter a predetermined eXtentof v9. Ina switch, a base, a rotatable shaft supmovement of said ratchet wheel.

ported bysaid base` switch blades carried by said v'shaft 'and rotatable therewith, aslieave loosely mounted on said shaft,vmeans for actuating said sheave, mea-ns tending to re.

turn the sheave to normal position when actuated, a ratchet -wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, a pawl carried 'by said sheave and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel,-

a-cam plate movable with said ratchet wheel and provided with a cam slot therein, a de- .tent carrier iiXedly secured to said shaft at one side of said cam plate, a disk fixedly sup" ported .from said base and surrounding the shaft, said disk being provided with a plu,

rality of notches in the periphery thereof having oppositely arranged straight walls, a"

pivoted detent carried by said detent carrier and adapted 4to engage one of the notches in said disk, said detent .being provided with plate, anda motor -springv connecting the ratchet wheel and said detent carrier.

`10. Ina -switch ,a base, contacts carried thereby, a rotatable shaft'supported by said base, switchbladescarried by said shaft arid rotatable therewith, a Asheave loosely mount` ed onv saidshaft, means lfor actuating said sheave,.meanstending to Treturn the sheave to normalpositiony when actuated, a ratchet tri/laste pullzupon the cord orchain L to, store y power in. the motor spring Q and by Athe co1 voperation of the `several devices to permit said motor spring to exercise its energy and -rotatethe switch blades G with 'a quick snap a'ctio'n to engage or by progressive l rotary moi/'ement to alterna'tely'engage and disengage or' make and break Contact with the spring contactdevice's I. More spe-l 10 ciically, the pullupon the cord or chain L rotates the sheave in the direction of thearrow Figs. 2 and 8, and the pawl M carried ingspring M. This rotation vof the ratchet i disk ,N winds upv themotorspring O, one

i' end Aof which spring is connected Ato the .and the other end abutting' ratchet disk lT the fixed lug 27 ofthe detentcarrier P,

i which latter cannot move at this time by .iaith-'the' fixed 'stop diskat g. The cam I `plate R being connected to the ratchetd'isk N rotates the said disk in' the direction of- 'the arrow, Fig.l 8, and byrmeans of the cameason of the engagement of the detent P way or groove fr thereof` engaging with'l the offset lug 7) .of thefdetent P gradually ele-' v-ates the detent out o-f engagement with thev shoulder Q, the parts being so proportioned and. timed in their operation that the motorl spring vO will have the desired power or tion of the' motor sprintf 'energy stored uptherein Vat the. time the-v detent leaves 'said shoulder. Practically in stantaneously upon the disengagement of the detent P.from the shoulder g the'de tent carrier-P isreleased and under the ac withthe offset p thereo shifts saidcarrier varound'one-fourth of a vrevolution or until the lug p of the detent is guided by the cam way r into engagement with the nekt adjacent Vstop shoulder g of the fixed plate Q1. The 'carrier P being keyed to the shaft E rotates A -saidshift therewith and throws the switch blades@ into or out of engagement with the spring contact devices I as the case may be., tlie-.free'inount'ing of the yswitch blades en- .abling them to .adjust themselves to the.

. spring 'contacts as hereinabove described.

After the operation just stated and upon vthe release of. the cord L the' sheave will be returnedu-nder the action of its spring M tol its initial position. The travel of the sheave in ,its forward movement beingapproximately 90o, the switch blades will alternatelvinake and break contact with the not. inl contacting spring jaws. lVhen' Contacting with' the `iavvs, the friction incident tothe clamping action is sufficient to ordinarily overcome any 'tendency of the shaft and blades to turn` backward from their` advanced position with the slieave. On the other hand, when engagement the blades are O in engagement relatively I free and might turn back with the sheave and again make contact when not desi red were 'it not for' the means positively A.'prevei'iting such movement'a-nd to. which l ,will now refer. In the stop ratchet Q there is formed an angular" or' notched-portion Q immediately adjoining'each shoulderg into which a correspondingly angular'hee'l g2 on the detent P- willv lit and engage and thus' be positivelyp'revented rommoving back# ward after ithas been once ladvanced into engagement with'the successive stop .shoulders. Thereforerthe stop disk Q serves the l c double purpose lof 'limiting the advancing' movement ofthe detent'P and associated parts including theshaft and switch blades and of preventing reverse rotation. of said vparts afterthefcompletion of a step in the progressive `operation, of the switch.

The whole of the' 'apparatus isl inclosed by an insulated capor cover S 'held infplace by means of a screw s passing' therethrough ture s in the lower end of the 'bracket D, the cap being held in proper relation to the actuating parts and the' suspended cord L which lpasses' through a rounded hollow and into engagement with a threaded apen rivet T therein by means oiga-lug u on the porcelain base() adapted to enter ai notch U v in the upper edge ofthe cover. The insulation ofthe cover is formed in two pieces (note Fig. 2a), one being a shall'ow cup V andthe lother a split cylinder W. The portion V is held in position by meansof the hollowrivet T which also forms a rounded edge bearing forpthe cordLand the split cylindrical portion W is retained inposition by .means of a tongue 'w struck inwardly fromfthemetal of the cap or cover and over the notched ledge w of theliniiig which adjoins the notch 1U in the cover'. lation extends outwardly to'an appreciablev extent beyond the edge ofthe cap Vor cover,- as shown at fm2.

su orts orost-she used as a sin le'or a' four circuit switch, etc. p

' .will not herein claim the device forcennectingv the. pull-cord with -the operating mechanism, -nor theA cover l provided with the specialvinsulating lining, inasmuch as thesey double pole switcher for atwo, three and more properly constitute' subjects matter for divisio'nall applications.

I'claim- ,1. In al switch of the character ,des'cribe-d,` l

a. shaft having asquarled'portion, a lmet-alfr switch blade having a central openirigthere-` in larger than' the squaredl portion of the shaft, an insulating .member filling the open- `'ing in the central portion ofsaid' blade and fitting upon the squared portion of Athe shaft, insulatingplates overlying said first As'wijll be apparent to'those skilled inthe filo c wheel loosely mounted on saidsliaft, a pawl f carried by said sheave and adapted to en# gage said ratchet wheel, a @am plate movable with ratchet wheel and provided with a A t cam slot therein, a datent Carrier fixedly 'se-A cured to said shaft at one side of said Cam Y- platepa disk izedly `supported `from said pbase and surrounding said shaft, said disk 'being provided 4with aplurality of notches 1G in the periphery thereof,l a'pvoted detent carried by said detent Vcarrier and" adapted to engage one of the notches in' said disk,

said detent beingvprovided with a portion..

engaging the cam slot in they cam plate, and

l5, 'a motor spring connecting the ratchet wheel and .said detent carrier.

, 11. In an electmicallswitch, the

tion with a shaft, `oie a switch member'mo'unted thereon comprising a blade having an fl? opening largerthan the shaft, an insulating memberl lling the said opening. and fitting upon the shaft so asfto be rotated thereby,

insulating yplates overlying said insulating lling vmember and the opposite faces of the 25 switohlblade, and clamping means passing through the insulating plates and the switch I- 4blade and insulated from the latter.-

12.111 an' eleetriealswitch, the combina-g l tionwith a shaft, of a switch member mount- 30 ed. thereon comprising a blade having an I niaaeaej v in presence of two witnesses.

opening larger than the shaft, an insulating .niember filling the said opening and itting ff'upon the shaft'so as toube'rotated thereby, rinsulating plates overlying vsaid insulating filling member and the opposite faces of the switch blade, metal plates overlying said insulating plates, and clamping lmeans pass. ing through the said metal 'and insulating plates and the switch blade and insulated from the latter.

13. 'In an electrical switch, the combina' tion with a shaft, ot a switch member mounted'thereon and movable longitudinally thereof fora limited dista-nce, said switch member lating platesv and the switchblade andinsulated from'the latter. V r

In' testimony whereofl alllx my signature ALLEN Af. TIRRILL.

Witnesses: v l 1 WILLIAM WV. CAMPBELL, DANIEL NAYLoN, Jr. 

